Northumberland County Council and partners (including Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance Service and Northumberland Fire & Rescue Service) are members of the Northumberland Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

Safety advisory group representatives consider event proposals and help assess the risks to the general public.    

More information on the Safety Advisory Group, organising events and download the Event Notification Form      

There are many events held within Northumberland which have an impact on the public highway, local infrastructure and the community.  Whilst events are important in boosting the local economy and attracting visitors to the county and are encouraged by the council, the Traffic Management Act 2004 places a duty on the council as traffic authority to manage disruption and minimise congestion on the public highway.    

This guidance aims to help event organisers to consider the implications an event can have in regard to the potential increase in disruption to road users and the impact that applying for road closures may have.    

Events generally fall into two categories one being small resident/neighbours only events and the other being larger community events attended by the public.  The below table sets out the main differences; -      

Street parties and fetes:	Larger public events:
For residents/neighbours only  Publicity only to residents  No licences normally necessary if any music is incidental and no selling is involved  No formal risk assessment needed   Self-organised	Anyone can attend  External publicity (such as, social media, newspapers)  Licences and insurance usually needed  Risk assessments necessary   Professional/skilled event organisers

Locations where an event takes place

Permissions may be required depending on the location and type of event.    

Driveways and gardens 

• A small informal event, known as a ‘Street Meet’, taking place on a driveway, private parking area, front garden or end of a cul-de-sac that does not require permission from the council as it is on private land. 
• Location is agreed between neighbours. 
• You must not obstruct other pedestrians. 

   Information and guidance on organising a ‘street meet’.    

Residential street 

• The event takes place on the road either in a cul-de-sac or a road where a road closure would only impact on the residents living in that street. 
• The event is self-organised and purely for residents/neighbours. 
• An Event Notification Form and Road Closure Form should be submitted to the Council 12 weeks prior to the event. Completed forms should be emailed to urban@northumberland.gov.uk. If you need any help completing your Road Closure Form, please email us at roadclosures@northumberland.gov.uk and a member of the team will contact you. 
• There will be no charge made for processing the legal temporary road closure. 
• The event organiser is responsible for consulting/informing all residents of the proposed temporary road closure. 
• The event organiser must make arrangements to appropriately sign the road as closed and close off the road to prevent vehicular access. 
• Emergency access must be managed/maintained by the event organiser. 

Information and guidance on organising street parties on residential streets.       

Wider road network or town centre 

• The event takes place on a road where a road closure affects the public at large, not just the residents living in a residential street, and is required for the event to take place safely. 
• An Event Notification Form and Road Closure Form should be submitted to the council 12 weeks prior to the event. Completed forms should be emailed to urban@northumberland.gov.uk. If you need any help completing your Road Closure Form, please email us at roadclosures@northumberland.gov.uk and a member of the team will contact you. 
• A charge applies for the processing and advertising of the legal road closure order.  Where it is deemed that there is little or no impact on the travelling public, advertising of the legal order will not be necessary, and only an admin fee will be charged.  See the ‘Charges for Road Closures’ section for further information on charges. 
• The event organiser should appoint a suitably qualified traffic management company to determine the traffic management arrangements. 
• Relevant signage and barriers in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) are required. 
• Advanced warning signage will also be required on site 10 days prior to the event to notify the travelling public of the closure and any diversions in place. 
• The event organiser is responsible for the cost of the closure and associated traffic management arrangements required. 

Where possible the council encourages larger public events to be held on open green space such as parks, fields, sports pitches, etc. The event organisers must however seek permission from the landowner. 

An Event Notification Form should be submitted to the council 12 weeks prior to the event and where required apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) and any relevant licences even where the event is being held on open green space. 

Road Closure Legal Process

Road closures for events will in general be processed under section 16A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA).  Prior to making any order the traffic authority shall: 

1. Satisfy themselves that it is not reasonably practicable for the event to be held otherwise than on a road.
2. Have regard to safety and convenience of alternative routes suitable for the traffic which will be affected by any order. 

   The council will consider each requested road closure in accordance with the legal requirements of section 16A of the RTRA in order to confirm whether the road closure is acceptable or not.    

In a limited number of cases, it may be possible to process a road closure under Section 21 of the Town and Police Clauses Act 1847 (TPCA). However due to its limitations the council will only use the TPCA for events such as those involving moving processions, parades or for street parties held in residential streets where the road closure has no other impact other than on the residents of the street. Otherwise, Section 16A of the RTRA will be used.   

Charges for Road Closures

If you require a road closure to enable your event to take place, a legal order is required to close the road. The following table provides information on the type of order applied and any associated charge;     

Description of event	Legal Order	Charge
Public processions, rejoicings, illuminations, or street parties in residential streets	Town and Police Clauses Act 1847 - Section 21	Free of charge
For sporting event, social event or entertainment which is held on the highway and causes minimal disruption to road users     This will not be advertised in press and is at the discretion of Northumberland County Council	Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 - Section 16A	£100  (admin fee)
For sporting event, social event or entertainment which is held on the highway and causes disruption to road users   Advertised once in the local press to alert road users	Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 - Section 16A	£500
An event which takes place off the highway but a closure or restriction/prohibition is required on the highway in connection with the event  As part of the legal process for the order this is advertised twice in the local press	Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 - Section 14	£1500

 

---